2008 Vintage

After several vintages with records (for example, 2007 had the longest vegetation period, while 2005 and 2006 had the shortest harvest times with the highest average must weights), the 2008 vegetation period had no extremes. Budding occurred at the end of April, flowering happened in mid-June, and ripening stretched until September and October. Because the summer was marked by balanced temperatures, we were fortunately spared this year from any hail, and the even distribution of rainfall promoted a continual growth of the Riesling vines.

The harvest began on October 17 with careful pre-selections and continued on until November 13. For the first time, we could harvest grapes planted with Pinot Blanc – and Auxerrois – from the year 2005. The fermentation for these grapes’ must took place in new Fuder, whose wood – after a three-year storage – comes from our own Grünhaus forest. Delicate oak notes, wild yeasts, natural malolactic fermentation, and plenty of fruit stamp the first “2008 Schloss Grünhaus” Weißburgunder.

On Tuesday, December 30 at 5 a.m. the long wait finally came to an end! Temperatures of minus 9 degrees Celsius allowed us to harvest Eiswein grapes in Maximin Grünhäuser Herrenberg. Sixteen harvesters picked thick masked grapes, which in the autumn were protected from birds and rain by special Eiswein covers. Till the very end, the Eiswein parcels were protected from hungry, wild boars by an electric fence, because they meanwhile learned how to “unpack” the grapes’ covers. The last day of the harvest lasted two-and-half hours. The result was around 1,200 kilograms of frozen grapes, which after a long, slow pressing resulted in 270-liter ice must with a quality of over 160 degrees Oechsle. Into the afternoon, the harvest team celebrated for having the best Eiswein quality in the last ten years!

After fermentations have stopped, the Riesling – young wines from the vintage 2008 – taste racy, elegant, and delicately fruity. Lots of finesse and crystal-clear brilliance promise drinking pleasure and lots of aging potential.